Brendan Rodgers, right, is feeling the heat as Liverpool struggle against expectations. Michael Steele / Getty Images
Brendan Rodgers, right, is feeling the heat as Liverpool struggle against expectations. Michael Steele / Getty Images

Under-pressure Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers backs goalkeeper Simon Mignolet



Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists Simon Mignolet’s shaky performances are not a factor in the team’s lack of confidence and has backed the under-fire goalkeeper’s mental resilience.

The Belgium international has been criticised for lacking a commanding presence in his penalty area and for his poor distribution, while his mistake for the first Ludogorets goal in the Champions League in midweek only intensified calls for him to be replaced.

Mignolet has kept just two clean sheets in his last 24 appearances for the club and this season has looked less than convincing.

But with no real competition - second-choice Brad Jones has played just 23 matches in four and a half years - Rodgers is obliged to stick with Mignolet, the £10million replacement for Jose Reina two summers ago which was always seen as a downgrade and was unpopular with fans.

“It is never easy. However, criticism comes. Deserved or not, you won’t like it but he is fine. I had a good chat with Simon today,” said Rodgers.

“The club paid a lot of money for Simon to come in and he has saved us in games in my time here.

“His performance is like the team; we all need to be better collectively.

“We are losing games and not playing so well so criticism happens and the focus on you at a club like Liverpool is magnified.

“He is strong enough. For us you have to embrace it, you have to be able to cope with the spotlight whether it is good or bad because it is always going to be there.

“Sometimes it won’t always go your way and sometimes you have to cope with it when it doesn’t.

“The team gains confidence from each other; it is about collective responsibility not just one player, and if we are going to succeed it will be about every player not just one.”

Mignolet can expect to be tested against Stoke at Anfield on Saturday as Liverpool look to end a run of three successive league defeats which has dropped them to 12th in the table.

The Northern Irishman is himself under pressure and is second favourite to be the next manager sacked. However, he is happy to absorb that burden in order to deflect it from his players.

“It is football. A few months ago I was manager of the year and now I am favourite to get the sack,” he said.

“In football it is very short-termism thinking but all you can do is focus on the immediate job and focus on what you can control.

“I just want them to concentrate on the football and performance level. It is my responsibility to take the pressure from the players.”

A 2-2 draw in Bulgaria on Wednesday exposed Liverpool’s vulnerability at set-pieces once again and meant that the team returned home without the confidence boost they needed.

It was the sort of substance over style performance not usually associated with a Rodgers side but the manager is hopeful that the draw against Ludogorets could kick-start their campaign.

“We are hoping our season has really begun the other night but it will only count if we take it into tomorrow’s game,” he said.

“Everything has been hunky dory for 18 months but it is a different hand we have been dealt this year, a different deck of cards.

“I said to the players the other night what has gone before has gone.

“We got the result the other night: a good performance, we were competitive, the structure of the team was good and we will take it into a difficult game against Stoke.

“Now it is even more important these mental characteristics come out in the team, which I know they clearly have.”

TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How tumultuous protests grew
  • A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
  • Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved 
  • Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
  • At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
  • Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars 
  • Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
  • An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital 
Company%20Profile
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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Company%20Profile
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'The Batman'

Stars:Robert Pattinson

Director:Matt Reeves

Rating: 5/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

The essentials

What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

When: Friday until March 9

Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City

Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.

Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.

Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
 

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.


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